Allied Winch Keeps SUPERTRAK On The Move

We usually think of a winch for taking trees out of the forest, not for putting them back in. But an innovative company in the U.S. has proven that the Allied winch plays a key role in their specialized machinery for site preparation and reforestation.

SUPERTRAK, Inc., located in Punta Gorda, Florida, has been building site preparation and reforestation tractors since 1986. SUPERTRAK machines are found primarily in plantation forests in the southeastern US, Australia, Chile, Canada, and Vietnam. With around 100 units out working, SUPERTRAK is making a major contribution to reforestation efforts worldwide.

These tractors pull specialized attachments that handle bedding, subsoiling, chopping, and discing. They come in after the final harvest, to handle the big job of preparing the soil for the next round of planting.

This isn't as easy as preparing a corn field for the new planting. After the harvest, the forest soil is a dense tangle of slash, residuals and stumps. In most plantation areas, the weather is hot and humid with plenty of rainfall. As a result, the soil can often be soft. All this makes the work of site prep a serious challenge for the equipment. This is where the winch proves its worth.

The SUPERTRAK machine employs a unique retrieval hitch that helps the tractor to traverse poor ground conditions. Under normal conditions, the winch is used to help couple the attachment to the hitch, and the hitch holds the attachment tight to the tractor. But when the tractor bogs down, the operator can release the winch line attached to the hitch, move the tractor ahead to more solid ground, then use the winch to pull the attachment back to the tractor.

If the tractor gets completely stuck, the operator can release the winch line and quickly put a hook on the cable end. Then the operator can attach the cable to a more solid object and pull himself free.

The winch isn't used all the time, just when it's needed. But having the winch there allows the operator to take on the tough jobs with confidence, knowing he won't get stuck far from help.

According to Dave Sampson, Marketing Manager at SUPERTRAK, "Although the use the winch experiences is not rigorous on a day-to-day basis, it is no less important. When you go to the woods you never know what you may run into."

Recognizing the hard use the machines must endure in this type of work, SUPERTRAK has chosen top-quality components. Engine, torque converter, transmission, axles, hydraulics, and cab all come from Caterpillar. The winch is the Allied W400. Dave Sampson reports that "our experience over the years has been top shelf both in the field and through the office in tech support and delivery dates. . . The Allied winch is a welcome team player and supplier to the SUPERTRAK product line."

The winch mounting is unique. Most Allied winches are driven by a PTO shaft, but SUPERTRAK uses a hydraulic motor to drive the W400 winch. The main advantage in this choice is that the winch can be mounted in the most desirable position.